River Cafe Biscotti

I had a bit of time on my hands on 30th December and decided to make those lovely little biscuits that go with coffee, which i’m drinking vats of by the way to keep warm.

Usually I look for a biscotti recipe on the internet but this time I tried River Cafe’s recipe from the Green cookbook. These came out rather soft on the first bake (could be my oven) and proved tricky to cut, but its manageable.

150g whole blanched almonds, coarsely chopped

100 pine kernels

2 vanilla pods chopped into 2cm lengths

250g caster sugar

250g plain flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of fine salt

2 large organic free-range eggs

finely grated zest of 2 oranges

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

unsalted butter for greasing

Preheat oven to 190c/375F/Gas 5. On a baking tray toast the almonds and pine kernels until light brown, allow to cool.

Process the vanilla pods to a fine powder in a food processor, or pound in a pestle and mortar. Add to the sugar and mix. Put all the dry ingredients – vanilla sugar, flour, baking powder and salt – on to a clean surface and form into a mound, make a well in the centre.

Whisk together the eggs and the zest then pour into the well. Use your hands to combine the dough, this can take a while but don’t over do it, as it will get stickier. Gradually knead in the almonds and pine kernels. Divide into 2, roll each piece out into oval log shapes about 7-8cm in diameter. Place these on a buttered baking tray and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and slice the logs diagonally into biscuits about 1cm thick. Place the slices back on the baking tray and return to the oven for another 5 minutes, turning them once or until just brown.